Kikyou's Lost Soul
by tanukisama
Summary: The soul fragment sustaining Kikyou cannot remain separated from Kagome forever... Eventually they, like the Shikon no Tama, must be restored in order to achieve balance and harmony.


Kikyou's Lost Soul  
  
A cold wind breathes a frosty kiss against Kagome's skin. She stirs in her sleep and awakens to see that the fire has burned out. She looks up at the full moon and wonders what compelled her to sleep outside night after night when she could simply leave the Shikon jewel here, slip through the well into her own world, and forget this nightmare ever happened. However, it wasn't a dream, and she couldn't escape it that easily. She glances in the direction of the reason why.  
  
Inuyasha's ears twitch, and he shivers. His eyes flutter, then open, and he sits up, gazing at something. Kagome follows his line of vision toward what looks like fireflies. She thinks they are pretty, dancing in the night sky. But they grow larger, and she realizes they aren't fireflies at all. They are souls, and Kikyou's soul catchers are busily gathering them, like bees collecting pollen.  
  
"Kikyou." Inuyasha rises and runs after them, transfixed by Kikyou's spell, as usual. Kagome frowns at him, jealous. She wishes Kikyou would stop hanging on to this life, and leave Inuyasha alone. Suddenly a new, strange feeling rises in her breast. Something deep within her compels her to follow, not to stop him, but to see Kikyou. Her eyes glaze over as if she has fallen in a trance, and she makes her way forward, guided by some unknown force.  
  
Sango awakens and calls out to her, asking what's going on, but Kagome fails to answer. Naturally, this worries Sango, so she wakes the others and they follow her into the woods.  
  
Kikyou is not far away, and Inuyasha is moved by her beauty. She says nothing, continuing to lie on the tree branch supporting her as she absorbs the new souls.  
  
"Kikyou." Inuyasha takes another step toward her.  
  
"Inuyasha." Kikyou looks at him, but still doesn't move from the tree. Suddenly, she smiles and glares at him as a tree root shoots out of the ground and wraps around him. Miroku, Sango, Shippou, and Kilala rush to his aid, only to meet the same fate as hundreds of vines and roots snake around them. She frowns, however, as Kagome advances toward her. An eerie light surrounds Kagome, perhaps from the nearly complete Shikon jewel hanging from her neck, perhaps from her miko heritage, or perhaps from some unknown source of power within her. The vines shoot toward her, but melt away once they touch the glowing aura surrounding her.  
  
Kikyou looks frightened. "No, I won't let you take my life!"  
  
Kagome's eyes are still dull, as if she is sleepwalking. Her voice echoes as she speaks. "Our time in that form has passed. You cannot exist as a fragment forever. Don't you see? Our life is in this body now. Don't hang onto that clay shell. We are incomplete, shattered, like the Shikon No Tama. We must be restored. Don't resist. We will purify your soul fragment. Please, return to us. Don't resist."  
  
Kikyou pulls out a bow and arrow. "No. This is my body now. I will NOT leave this world until I have completed my revenge. I will destroy that body, and then you will have to join me in this one, or leave me alone in this world to finish my task." She lets an arrow fly at Kagome, and smiles as the arrow pierces her chest.  
  
"KAGOME!" Inuyasha screams in horror, but is ignored.  
  
"That was anticipated. It did not have the affect you hoped for." Kagome pulls the arrow out. "Some of your spirit energy returned to me with that arrow, but we still await full restoration." Kagome takes another step forward. Her aura grows and becomes more intense. The soul catchers advance toward Kagome, but any that touch her aura are killed. Kikyou sinks to her knees as her adopted souls begin to leave her. Kagome stands directly over her. "Return."  
  
"Nooooo!!!" Kikyou falls to the ground weekly and begins to glow as the soul fragment within her is pulled out. With a flash of light, the fragment bursts out of Kikyou and slams into Kagome, who winces and seems to be engaged in some sort of internal battle to control the lost soul fragment. Her aura expands once more, shining brightly, then seems to implode into her. Kagome falls to the ground, bleeding heavily.  
  
"Kagome!"  
  
Inuyasha strains and finally rips the root apart. He rushes to Kagome's side.  
  
"Inuyasha. I'm sorry for the pain I've caused you. It was. a mistake. for me to hold on to that corpse for so long. Now I. we. can finally move on."  
  
"Kikyou?" Inuyasha is bewildered as Kikyou's voice seems to be coming from Kagome's lips.  
  
"Goodbye. Inuyasha." Kagome closes her eyes and passes out as her blood pours out onto the ground.  
  
"Kagome? Kagome!" Tears pour from Inuyasha's eyes as he frantically screams her name. "Please don't die!"  
  
Sango works her way free and goes to Kagome's aid, applying pressure to the wound and instructing Inuyasha to free the others and go retrieve Kagome's bag, which might have medical supplies in it. They bandage her wound and take her back to Kaede's hut, where they wait three days for Kagome to regain consciousness. They bring Kikyou as well, and return the corpse to its original resting place.  
  
Finally, Kagome regains consciousness. Inuyasha is right by her side when she wakes up.  
  
"Inuyasha?"  
  
Inuyasha's heart jumps into his throat. "Kagome?"  
  
She smiles. "You don't have to worry anymore, Inuyasha. I'm fine. Kikyou is at peace now, right here." She points to her chest. "And now she understands." She touches Inuyasha's chest. "She lives here, too." 


End file.
